I answer questions from some readers

First of all I just wanted to answer a few questions that were submitted by readers. Question:"Nick, I'm sure there are a lot of things the public does not know about being a pro athlete. For one, how does (any) pro player get paid during the season? Direct deposit, thru an agent, by check? Thanks.”

To answer your question DSMCKAY, every NFL team pays their players different ways. Some teams distribute paychecks weekly, others bi-weekly. Some teams have an option for direct deposit. Players do have an option for money to be direct deposited to different accounts of their choice.

We only get paid during the regular season. 16 weeks. So for example, if a player is being paid $800,000 for the 2008 season, he will receive those funds during that period of time.

Most players don’t get paid during the off-season unless specified in their contract. All player contracts are structured differently.

I have not heard of an agent directly receiving a player’s paycheck, but I’m sure it has happened before.

Question:When traveling out of town, how do meals and meal money work?

For home games, meals and hotel rooms are paid for by the team. For away games, they provide a per diem for every player, and they also provide meals (breakfast, lunch, pre-game meal).

Question:Did you get to see much of Toronto?

To answer your question, SteelerGirl, no I didn’t. We generally don’t have much time to sightsee. We have only about four hours of free time. And I usually just rest during that period of time. Some players go out to eat at different restaurants. But I just chill.

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